New experiences keep your life fresh and interesting – a constant stream of discoveries. And lists, well I’ve always been the sort to write it down and check it twice.
So I’m taking my love for the new and combining it with the thrill of the list and having fun with the ABC Life – an orderly way to expand my life with fun places to visit and fascinating things to do, read, eat and experience. Admittedly, I get enthusiastic over the tiniest things but then often lose that initial interest rather quickly. Another reason why the ABC Life is for me.
The ABC Life is where you do as many things within a month that you can – starting with a specific letter. Obviously it all starts with “A.” So for me, October is the A month. During this month, I will try to cover as many categories as I comfortably can, without feeling like it’s a race. It’s an add-on, not the end all.
The main categories are:
Visiting/going to a city or type of place. ( Like A could be going to Austin. Or if travel was out of the question, it could be going to an aviation exhibit or to a local airport and browsing through their gift shop. )
Doing something specific.
Trying a new food or recipe.
Studying a subject.
Additional categories are wide open but could include: reading a book whose title or first or last name starts with the letter, watching a movie that starts with the letter, going to a restaurant or drinking a specific wine.)
There are “points” in my ABC Life. Doesn’t have to be the same for you, but I like the points concept – sort of the thrill I get from lists. But the rules for the points can change and when there’s no one making them but you, you can adjust them as you go. I give myself 2 points for a main category and 1 point for additional categories. I’m aiming for at least 8 points a month.
I’m excited to start. In fact, I’ve already started.
2 Points:
I went to Arlington for a Ranger’s game last Friday. They were playing the Los Angeles Angels so my loyalty was split. I own a Rally Monkey, which was all the rage during the summer of 2002 when the Angels won the World Series but I live in Texas now. Only my friend P knows who I was rooting for and she won’t tell.
1 Point:
Tried a new wine last week at an interesting wine bar in Frisco/Little Elm. The place is called The Grape Escape (casual vibe and good live music) and the wine was Argiolas Costamolina – a fresh, clean, ripe white wine, expressing pear, peach, spice and a touch of grapefruit.
1 Point:
Read Anna Quinlan‘s Every Last One. It’s a very powerful book but it deals with the subject of loss and it’s a very emotional read. I loved the writing and the truths revealed by the main character, the mom. If not for that, I would have stopped reading since it was hard to deal with her pain. Glad I did finish it, however, since it was so well written and didn’t take the easier, more cliched route to the end.
More points to come. I know I’ll be going to antique stores later in the month and trying out two great new recipes: one for an amaretti torte from my friend JD and another for a simple Apple Torte from LH. (Notice the trend here for dessert?) Can’t share them yet since I haven’t baked either but will post when I do.
Feel free to play along and share. It will be fun!
The ABC Life Blog 
I’m starting my ABCs. For October so far I have:
Travel 2 pts: Amalfi Coast, the most beautiful coastline I have ever seen
Activity 2 pts: Antiquities; saw incredible ruins and ancient buildings in Italy. It would be awesome to live somewhere where you just look up on your way to work and see an ancient temple or such.
Food 2 pts: Antipasto made of pecorino cheeses with honey and jams and different Italian meats that I had never seen or tasted before
Person 1 pt: Adamo. Old Italian man who runs a wine cellar in Montepulciano and kisses all the women who buy wine from him
What an Awesome, Amazing October. Thanks for playing.
Well, Amalfi sounds wonderful, but I am going to go to Addison, TX some time this week, to try to find the Christmas Tree Shop, (skipping ahead to Dec. literally, and alphabetically) which was written up in the Dallas Morning News. It has 61 stores, and this is the first in Texas with much more than Christmas stuff, at great prices. Will report back whether you all should add Addison to your travels this month.
Oh how fun, Laura! I will be checking back to see what you’ve done through the month, and I just may have to play myself. 🙂
Glad to see that you are up and running with the blog. A friend of mine from Trinidad sent me an electronic copy of a recipe book that is in alphabetical order. I will forward to you (if I can still find it in my in box)…just in case you run out of ideas.
So far, Barbara Katz’s A experiences are sounding a bit more thrilling than yours so you have to up your game (grin). No pressure here, just an observation. See you soon.
Maybe in my 20th month for T, I can take a trip to Trinidad and thank your friend for the fabulous cookbook.
loved your blog. will contribute what I can.
Today I went to ADDISON to The Christmas Tree Store. WOW! It just opened, and is a big warehouse like place, with everything (except clothes, though they had a few baby clothes). Didn’t see a single Christmas tree, but saw lots of seasonal stuff for fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and a little bit of Christmas. I’m sure there’s lots more Christmas to come. Lots of things are $1, which I’ve seen elsewhere for much more (like the woven placemats I bought). There are books, kitchen appliances and gadgets, furniture, sheets and towels, decorative pillows, dishes, specialty food items,
wrapping paper, cards, candles, you name it. I bought a cherry ladder bookshelf for my grandson’s room for 29.95, and a pack of toothbrushes for a dollar. It’s a bargain bonanza, then at the checkout, they gave us a coupon for 20% off our total bill. It’s located on the North Texas Tollway North. You get off at Spring Valley, and get back on heading north and it will be on your right, by Bed Bath and Beyond and The Arrangement. It works up quite an APPETITE, so we went to Paradise Bakery right there after to rebuild our strength. A nice little field trip close to home.
I first found about The Christmas Tree Store on my many visits to Connecticut to visit my niece. It is FABULOUS indeed!! I went to this new on a couple of weeks ago and bought a few things at great prices.
I would highly recommend it as a trip to Addison for anyone.
I’ll definitely be going to Addison this month. I’ve always loved that town and now there is something new to check out. If they have woven placemats for $1, I’m a fan! And if I work up an APPETITE, I think I’ll try the ASIAN Chicken Salad at the Paradise Bakery. Thanks Janet.
Since I’m being Anal, I am also reading a book by ANNA Quinlan – Rise and Shine. It’s very quick reading and holds your interest.
Today’s Dallas Morning News Travel section features Bastrop, TX as a destination.
A great November trip for your and K.
Love your blog, Laura. What a fun idea to get a person out and experiencing new and interesting things. I definitely need to take heed and get the lead out.
Well I kept my word and learned about the aardvark (2 pts). Did you know their teeth are worn away and grow continuously? Since a lot of people have dreams about their teeth falling out I wonder if aardvarks dream about their teeth staying in? Would that be a nightmare for them? Their front feet have 4 toes and their back feet have 5. They sleep during the day and feed on ants, termites and cucumbers (yum!). They can live up to 24 years in captivity so for all you pet owners who have to live through many pets short life span, this may be the one for you (although being licked by their 30 centimeter long tongue may be a problem).
Well I think that’s my 2 points worth. I’m resting until the Bs.
See. Aardvarks are worthy! Not sure if they have nightmares about their teeth, but I tend to think they have other things to fret about (like why were they shorted on their front toes?). Thanks for the information.
Just before the month ends I found one more 2 pointer, an activity – I will be riding in the Ghosts and Spokes Motorcycle Ride to benefit ATO – Assist the Officer. It’s a fund set up to assist the families of officers injured in the line of duty. I understand it’s a 96 mile ride with 6 stops so I’ll be holding on for dear life. Wish good luck to this Motorcycle Mama!
Good luck MM. May you enjoy the AUTUMN wind in your hair. Care to go AUBURN for the ride?